Question about rock and the cycling process

Hello. I'm new to these forums, and to the saltwater aquarium hobby in general. Doing a lot of research as would be the norm, and currently I have a few simple questions concerning base/live rock and the cycling process.

When cycling a new tank, I understand that it's a good idea to use base rock. How much base rock per gallon is necessary for an efficient few-week cycle? Is it essential to wait until the completion of the cycling process to add live rock?

On the subject of live rock, is there a reason that the stuff from Fiji is so comparatively inexpensive? Is it lousy?

Lastly, anyone know a good store for decently-priced, quality live rock in NYC? The shipping fees turn me off the idea of purchasing some from the internet as a whole.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

EDIT - oh, and another question on another topic. Is there any particular drawback to just putting a tank on top of a wooden dresser? I don't have much room in my apartment and a stand doesn't seem like a doable thing.

 

Welcome to 3reef As for the live rock question, I cycled my tank with live rock and sand right from the beginning. You're going to need something to cause the bacteria to grow which the die off from the live rock will do. As for different types, I used mainly Fiji due to the price but I also put in some Tonga Branch, West African, Bali Alor and other types to give it an interesting look. I'm sure others will chime and offer some good advice as well.

 

Hello and welcome to 3reef. I can't answer all of your questions because I'm new myself but I can say that if you add uncured live rock to your tank after the cycle it will just start another cycle and most likely kill anything in your tank. So it would probably be a good idea to add live rock first because it will cure as your tank is cycling. As for Fiji live rock I have it and there's nothing wrong with it I just think there's better rock out there but more expensive.

 

Welcome from me also. I'm new as well.... learned a lot of what I know here.

For a tank with base rock ONLY it would take months to cycle into living rock, but you would mostly avoid any major rock related die off. Still, it would take months, maybe even years, for bacterial colonies to fully saturate base rock with nothing seeding it. A tank can't easily cycle, i.e. form the life needed to process ammonia into nitrates, without a healthy dose of some seed bacteria.

If you're planning a reef tank you really do want at least 50/50 live rock / base rock. I used about 1#/gal and my tank looks a bit on the empty side. I'd go for 1.5# per gallon. Of course that will also vary with what rock you choose. Fossilized ancient coral reefs that are terrestrially mined and sold as base rock is very dense and therefore a smaller chunk weighs more. Fiji live rock tends to be next, avoid large boulders and stuff that doesn't look porous. I used mostly fiji in my tank for the live rock. I used a bit of branch rock as well, and I'll tell ya, for $2/lb more than the fiji, I got bigger sections for about the same price. Ideally you can look through and select pieces that look good no matter where they're from.

Also, cured vs. uncured will dramatically affect your cycle time. Fully cycled rock will result in minimal ammonia and will have bacterial colonies already well established. My cycle time with well cured rock was 2 weeks or so. I've heard that uncured can add months to a cycle.

...as for stands/dresser - it all depends on how big the tank is vs. how sturdy the dresser is. A good heavy duty dresser that is made of hardwood, very well built and solid, would probably be fine for a tank 30g or smaller, anything bigger and you should really look into a stand or find a way to reinforce the dresser. Another argument for a tank stand is that it provides an area under the tank for misc fish keeping supplies. For a SW tank with a sump/refugium under the tank is a great spot to put that. Lastly, if anything we re to happen to the tank there's a good chance everything would be ruined in a dresser.

-Doug

 

greysoul, there's literally no room in my miserable NYC apartment for a stand unless somebody steals my fridge. The tank itself would be one of those 24g AIO cubes, so I'm not worried about unsightly equipment.

I'm making it a species tank for a spearer-type mantis shrimp along with maybe some tankmates that it won't bother. Not reefing it up, so think of it as COWLR.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful, informative answers.

 

a 24gal tank is gonna weigh in around 200lbs, 250 at most (I mean, unless you fill it with mercury or something...)

I have a friend with a 24 on an end table and it's holding fine.

also, wouldn't it be a SOWLER? Shrimp only w/ Live Rock?

 

+1 on everyones post. I'm in the process of cycling a tank. Many different ways just all depends on you. Cycling with Live rock is fine. I cycled my tank with Live Rock and Life Sand. It's going great my brown algea came in right on time threw in some snails. ( Margarita and 1 mexican turbo) All the algea on the rocks is almost as for the sand i know it will go away. I have a 30 gallon on my dresser. The think you have to cautious of is what type of filtertration you will be using and what not. Electrical side. whatever you decide there are plenty of questions and answers. I to have asked lots. Welcoem to 3reef

 

that's one way of spelling it, but to be more specific, the mantis I plan on getting is a pseudosquilla ciliata, so Ciliata Only With Live Rock

 

Hey dude, Welcome!

I had live rock in my tank about 2 days after putting in the live sand, which was a couple days after putting in the water. Everything was fine. Base rock is your friend, I'll tell you that much. As previously said, 50/50 base:live rock is good. I actually only recently started putting in base rock, which I got @ 2$ per lbs, as opposed to the $8 per lbs of live rock. The base rock is white and ugly, but kind of puts a little contrast to my black sand, but even that isn't lasting too long. It's already 70% green from algae, and I see my coraline algae is starting in purple and yellow and spreading ont he live rock.

It'll all add up for you.

I go to two fish stores, one in Brooklyn, Gravesend (down close to coney island), and one in the city on 36th St. If you're interested I'll PM you the info.

I'd like to know if anyone else knows anywhere in NYC with good stores as well.

Also, I have my 55 gallon on a dresser as well. It runs 6" longer, so I shifted it so it falls off 3" on both ends. It's actually really sturdy. Living in NY sucks!